Features

Hal signs new contract

Reading Football Club are delighted to announce that Hal Robson-Kanu has put pen to paper on a new three-year contract with the Royals, keeping him at Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2016.

"I'm delighted to sign a new contract and it's a fantastic feeling to commit my future to Reading Football Club," Hal said after signing his new deal this afternoon.

"Towards the end of last season there were a lot of positives to take - the new manager coming in, the style of football we began to play, and this is obviously a club looking to get back into the Premier League and stay there.

"The manager has shown a lot of faith in me and the style of football he is getting the boys to play is going to be exciting but effective as well. The only direction the club is looking to go is upwards and I can't wait for the season to start now."

As one of a very successful crop of Academy products who have made a huge first team impact at Reading, Hal enjoyed an outstanding top flight campaign last season, scoring a record number of Premier League goals for a Royals midfielder.

The 24-year-old notched seven times in total in the top flight, finding the back of the net against Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton as well as scoring three against Fulham in 13(+12) Premier League appearances.

The pacy, powerful, attacking midfielder also scored his first international goal for Wales, a headed winner against Scotland at Hampden Park back in March.

Director of Football Nick Hammond said, “I’m very pleased to have secured Hal’s signing. He is a player who is improving year on year - to the extent that he scored seven goals in the toughest league in the world last season and also became a mainstay of Welsh national squad.

“He can play on both the right or the left and, going forward, we also believe he can develop into a very effective central striker. The challenge is now there for him to become a regular starter in this team and a big player for us in the Championship this season.”

Since making his Royals debut in August 2009, Robson-Kanu has firmly established himself as a key first team player at the club and has now made in excess of 100 appearances in a Reading shirt.

Last season, Hal’s impressive contribution did not go unnoticed by the Reading fans, who voted him into the top three in the Player of the Season award for 2012/13.

Chairman Sir John Madejski said, “It is fantastic to see another of our prodigious home grown talents commit their future to Reading Football Club.

"I am certain Hal will continue to go from strength to strength as a first team star and make a big contribution to our promotion push this season. This is excellent news for Reading supporters ahead of the start of the brand new campaign.”

Robson-Kanu’s current contract was set to expire at the end of the 2013/14 campaign but, by signing a new deal this afternoon, Hal has committed his future to Reading Football Club and this season’s exciting promotion challenge.